The present invention relates to a fastener referred to herein as a buckle in the form of a securing means having two connected relatively movable members. A strap, belt, or the like to secured at one end to the fastener and the other end of the strap passes through the fastener or is otherwise grasped by the fastener. The strap or belt passes through the fastener in a path generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the members.
This type of buckle is usually designed to secure or tighten a belt, band, or a similar article and is generally operated by having one end of the belt, band, etc., fixedly secured to one end of the buckle with another portion of the buckle frictionally or resiliently securing the belt or band or by passing through a provided for aperture in the belt or band.
The present invention is also particularly adapted to function as a clasp, wherein one end of a strap is fixed to an article, such as for example a purse or bag, while the other end of the strap passes through and is secured by the fastener of the present invention. Thus, the term “fastener” in this disclosure defines a buckle, a clasp, or other structure having the structural components shown and described below.
These types of fasteners have a wide variety of applications. Most commonly, these types of fasteners are used to adjustably secure a pair of pants on a wearer. However, millions of these types of fasteners are applied to luggage and similar articles to hold a pocket closed, for example, and other types of applications to numerous to mention.
Designers have long tried to make such fasteners more esthetically pleasing while maintaining the strength of flexibility of the fastener. In the most common form of fastener, the end of a strap or belt is passed through a loop, referred to herein as a “frame” and then a tongue is passed through one or more of a plurality of holes in the belt. The end of the belt is then threaded through a loop to retain the belt flush against itself. To remove the belt from the buckle, the belt is grasped and pulled back through the retaining loop until the tongue can be removed from the hole in the belt. The belt is then withdrawn from the frame to undo the belt.
In many applications, the buckle or clasp is seldom used, and thus the belt or strap is very stiff. Thus, it takes a great deal of effort to grasp and withdraw the belt or strap from the securing loop to the point at which the tongue can be removed from the hole in the belt. In some applications, the strap is formed of two or more layers of stiff material and the holes therethrough are lined with a metal grommet or the like. For particularly stiff straps, the operations of securing and opening these types of fastener can prove difficult for the normal person. For those with arthritis or weakness in the hands, it can prove impossible.
Even for those users and applications in which no difficulty is encountered in using the fastener, typically the same hole is used over and over again in securing the fastener. Over time, the strap becomes worn and clearly shows the position of the frame on the strap. If the strap is made of an inferior material, or is subjected to the limit of the strap's load, the strap can even part at the point where it is used over and over again.
Thus, there remains a need for a buckle or clasp that is easy to use, whether making up a connection with a fastener or opening up the fastener. Further, the buckle or clasp should be secure and should be esthetically pleasing. There is also a need for a fastener which applies a linear stress to the holes of the strap so that the strap will not clearly shows signs of repetitive stress. The present invention is directed to such a fastener.